Gov’t to irrigate 100K acres of Toshka reclamation project in 3 weeks

CAIRO: Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab is set to release water for the 100,000-acre Toshka Project in the western desert in three weeks, said Hossam Al Moghazy the Minister of Irrigation, Youm7 reported.

He said the ministry aims to reclaim 1 million new acres within three years; adding that the ministries of agriculture and irrigation would define the pieces of the lands by July 14.

This step is the third phase of land reclamation in the Toshka Project; the first phase was 25,000 acres, and the second phase included 17,000 acres, Akhbar Al Youm reported in December 2013.

Both of the first and second phases have been acquired by Al Rajhi International Group for Investment, and have produced about 150,000 tons of wheat annually, it reported.

The government has pumped 6 billion EGP ($840 million) in developing the project, former Prime Minister and the creator of the project, Kamal Al Janzoury told Al Shorouq newspaper December 2013.